NorCal High School Race #3 in East Garrison

For Race number three of the NICA NorCal series it was back to East Garrison, for the sand, and now overwhelming amount of poison oak of Fort Ord.

With reverse direction and a few other differences from race number one the new course was still fast, rolling, with a few sketchy sand patches.

 

 

With one of the most sustained climbs as the start racers were placed four by four on the narrow and sandy start chute.  With leaders jersey still on my back I gave it all I had at the start got over the first climb and did not look back until the finish.  I came in first place in the Sophomore D1 category with Matthew Koen in second.

 

 

Great job at race number three everybody!  Since race number four at Pedaluma was cancelled due to extremely muddy course conditions I will see you all at Boggs.  Cheers!

 





NorCal High School Race #2 at Granite Bay

 

I have spent a lot of time racing down in Granite Bay so it was awesome to see hundreds of athletes come down to compete at a venue that was familiar to me. 

For the second NorCal race the course was backwards of what I have done in the past, although the feel of the track was still the same decomposed granite, with short punchy climbs, and an occasional rock garden.
With my previous victory I was placed in the front of the pack for the start, rocking the leader's jersey and had no thoughts of giving it up.   

Two riders got passed me after the sand pit near the start but I got around them before the first climb and then hit the gas.  I knew I was in the front and kept it pinned until the end, coming away with my second NorCal win.

 

 

 

 

Its always a pleasure to be on top of the podium especially at these highly competitive NorCal series races, congratulations to all the athletes who participated! 

Thanks to Rob Lowe, Michael Miske, and Hannah Oitzman for the great photos.



NorCal High School Race #1 in East Garrison

On February 23rd the first NorCal National Interscholastic Cycling Association(NICA) race was held at East Garrison, California near Monterey and the beautiful Pacific Ocean.

The race course consisted of fast sandy singletrack and some fire road.  This was my first NorCal race as last year an injury kept me out of the high school series.  Despite being placed in the very back for the start I managed to pass the fifty some riders and pull away the first lap to come away with the win in the Sophomore Northern Division D1.

Thanks to all the volunteers, racers, coaches, and parents who give NorCal races their own special feel and atmosphere!  The first race was a great time.

My Recovery Video!!!

Here is the link to my recovery video filmed and edited by Matteo Piezzari!

http://www.pinkbike.com/video/336416/#top

Happy trails!!!

Downieville Classic 2013!!!

 

The 2013 Downieville Classic has come and gone and still remains my favorite race of the year.  This year I raced Cross Country at the 13-18 Sport level, and killed it coming in first place four minutes ahead of second place with a time of 2:28:55!  For those of you that are not familiar with the Downieville Classic this race is 100% nonstop brutality for 29 miles, this coarse features 4,100 feet of climbing and over 5,000 feet of descending.  The Cross Country race starts in Sierra City and climbs 3,000 vertical feet to the top of the Sierra Buttes at Packer Saddle.  Known as the "Trail of Tears" this climb is steep and very lose in sections.

  Once at the saddle racers descend Sunrise Trail, a  "flowy" roller coaster of singletrack  that meets Gold Valley Road.  This section of the course is the only part I dread although a place to rest it is also an ideal place to embrace the pain and put in some good sprints.  Somewhere in the middle I was given a high-five by a guy in a evening jacket wearing a disco ball on his head!  After a few miles of rolling dirt road the course goes downhill through the 'baby heads' a lose sketchy descent to Pauley Creek.  Unfortunately I was not able to take this section as fast as I did in practice do to other racers holding me back, but at least I made it down safe and mechanical free.  After this a 25+ foot creek crossing awaits across Pauley Creek.  Then there is Pauley Creek Trail a fast, long, rocky, wet, and root filled downhill with short tricky uphill punches.  This trail meets the last section of Butcher Ranch Trail, here I was able to pass a few other racers and was in my element.  I took the last section of Butcher fast and made it up the 700ft climb at a good pace and without wasting to much energy.  A spectator in a giant bird suit got me stoked to shred Third Divide!  I was in luck and had Third Divide Trail all to my self and let the breaks off and had a fast run down this insane piece of singletrack paradise.  At the bottom you are greeted with a few miles of fast dirt road to the First Divide Trail.  First Divided is never kind at this point in the race, the short uphills seem never ending and the flats are just as painful.  After a road crossing the final section of First Divide brings you to the streets of Downieville with one more painful sprint I finally crossed the Cliff Bar arch and was done with the race!

IBIS Mojo HD!

After my race I enjoyed a free spaghetti meal and checked out all the wonderful booths of the sponsors of the Classic.  As well as watching the annual river jump contest!!!

River Jump!



Liam Ruff, Larry Sussman, and Jet Lowe.



Nate Byrom, Liam Ruff, and Mark Weir.

 Big thanks to Nate Byrom from WTB for getting me some Frequency i23 wheels for the race.  They held up awesomely, and were super fast!


IBIS Ripley 29er

Santa Cruz V-10 Carbon DH Race Bike

A racer starting up the Sunrise Trail in the DH race on Sunday.
 

 The following day is the Downhill Race on the famous "Downieville Downhill".  Racers who want to compete in the downhill race must be part of the All Mountain Category and are required to race the Cross Country Race on the same bike!


On the top!

 The Sport 13-18 Men Podium Larry Sussman in forth, in third, Nelson Bedient in second, and Liam Ruff in first!  Congratulations to all the racers and thanks to all the wonderful people who make this unique and epic event possible.  Looking forward to next year!

 

Nevada City Dirt Classic # 3

On August the 27th the third and last Nevada City Dirt Classic took place on the Halleluiah and Pioneer Trails.  The last race coarse was the reverse direction of Race # 2, sending riders down the "Rock Garden" on Upper Pioneer Trail and up the switchbacks on Halleluiah Trail, it was definitely a little bit brutal but was it was still a great race and awesome day!  I raced CAT 1 15-18 and came away with second place.

 

The race course was dusty and the rock garden proved to be lose but still the most challenging and fun part of the course!

The CAT 1 15-18 Podium Larry Sussman in third, Liam Ruff in second, and Seth Francis in first.  As I made it on the podium all three races I received free entry to next year's YBONC Races!

It was a truly awesome race series everyone!  Congratulations to all that made it out to race and a big thank you to the many volunteers that made this event possible!!!  Be sure to keep your ears open to news about next year's races.

Santa Cruz Demo Day!

Last weekend on July 16th Yuba Expeditions held a Santa Cruz Bicycles Demo day in Graegle, California, as a fundraiser for the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship.  The Santa Cruz Tallboy Carbon, Bronson Carbon, and Solo Carbon were available to demo for free on some fine high sierra singletrack, shuttles cost $10 which, proceeds support future trail projects in the Downieville/Lakes Basin area!


Santa Cruz tents in downtown Graegle.

I rode the Santa Cruz Bronson Carbon, it was awesome to be able to spend some solid trail time on such a nice bike.  I loved the 650b wheels and for bike with 150mm of travel pedaled excellently.  We were shuttled from Graegle to a fire road, from there it was a three mile climb to Mills Peak Lookout and the top of Mills Peak Trail.  This was my first time riding this great trail and was impressed by how the rocky root filled tread still had excellent flow and is defiantly one of my favorite trails!                                                                                                                                                                                          

The Santa Cruz Solo is the shorter and lighter travel brother of the Bronson with 125mm of travel.

This event was totally awesome, and was well attended.  I hope other demo events will occur in the Downieville area!!!

 

Nevada City Dirt Classic # 2

On the twenty-ninth of June I raced in the second Nevada City Dirt Classic XC Series at the Hallelujah and Upper Pioneer Trails, it was a lot of fun and the rain during the previous week left the trails tacky and perfect for racing!  I competed in the CAT 1 15-18 age group and came in second place with a race time of 1:36:49 doing three laps on the 5.7 mile loop.

Larry Sussman in third, Liam Ruff in second, and Alec Crofoot in first.  The CAT 1 M 15-18 podium.

The next and last Nevada City Dirt Classic Race will be held on the twenty-seventh of July on the Hallelujah and Upper Pioneer Trails and is a great chance to be able to race on the fine trails of the Tahoe National Forest.  As always the profits made by this race series will go toward supporting local youth bike clubs and getting kids on bikes!  More information about this awesome race series including registration information and past race results can be found at YBONC's web site.

The day after the race it was up to Downieville for some great riding!

Nevada City Dirt Classic # 1

The awesome Nevada City Dirt Classic XC Race Series is back again this year!!!  Race number one was located on private land in Grass Valley, California, and was one of the best XC courses I have ever raced.  The five mile loop included grueling climbs and very fun technical descents.  Thank you to the land owner, Ron Sanchez, for letting YBONC use his land for the race, these trails are NOT open to the public at any other time.
 

This was my first race since getting back on my bike after the injury and I was super stoked to get first place in the CAT 2 15-18 division, we did three laps on the fun but exhausting loop, with around 700 feet of climbing per lap.

The next race in the series will be on Saturday, June 29th at the Upper Pioneer and Hallelujah Trail on Forest Service land in the Tahoe National Forest.  It will be tons  of fun and supports local youth cycling groups and mountain biking opportunities in the area! For more info go to YBONC.  There was a great turn out at the first race in the series and some professional riders including Jason Moeschler came out!

 

Photos courtesy of Robert Lowe.  Thank you Bob for taking great pictures at the race!

Injury, Recovery, and Riding!

I have just started riding again after two serious fractures in the Tibia and Fibula bones that kept me off the bike for twelve long weeks.   Unfortunately my injury was not due to any epic mountain bike crashes or dangerous activities, I broke fractured my ankle walking down the stairs of my school.  I had surgery and one screw put in my ankle, I was treated at the Tahoe Forest Hospital in Truckee, California.  My orthopedic surgeon was Dr. Osgood who was a great doctor and good to work with.  I spent nine weeks on crutches and then moved on to a cane.  I spent eight weeks in physical therapy at Body Logic Physical Therapy in Grass Valley, California.

     After twelve weeks from being away from the sport and activity that I love I was over joyed to get back on the mountain bike!!!  My balance and fitness are coming back and I am looking forward to lots of riding over the summer.  So far I have gotten up to Grouse Ridge and Downieville areas for some great truly gnarly rock laden terrain, as well as other wonderful local spots.   I came in first place in the Nevada City Dirt Classic #1 in the CAT 2 division, and am currently training for the Downieville Classic Cross-Country Race.